Airbnb guests trash unit, steal $16,000 painting

The best tip to getting a great stay on Airbnb by contacting your host before you book their home

The best tip to getting a great stay on Airbnb by contacting your host before you book their home

Jack Clarke (left) and Dominic Jones.Source:Snapper Media

TWO angry homeowners slammed Airbnb after opportunists nicked an £8000 ($16305) original Banksy print and left condoms, laughing gas canisters and cannabis joints at their home.

The Londoners say the home-renting company has not provided adequate help in finding the offenders.

Housemates Dominic Jones and Jack Clarke rented their Islington unit via the website for a weekend.

But they returned to find a number of their belongings missing and the premises filthy.

The Banksy print — entitled Leopard and Barcode — was a limited edition and had been bought for $183 over a decade ago. Similar artwork is now exchanged between collectors at around $16000.

Another Leopard and Barcode print was sold through fine art and antiques auctioneers Bonhams for a heart-shattering $154184 in 2012.

The pair claim that Airbnb told them to complete an online insurance form and after several days passed were told to do the same process again. Mr Jones said he has gone ‘back and forth’ with the company in order to find the man who rented the premises.

Jack Clarke (left) and Dominic Jones.Source:Snapper Media

“If you rent someone’s flat through Airbnb, you’ve given your name, address and bank details, all your information,” he said.

“Even if the police went and knocked on his door and didn’t get anything out of it, that would be better than nothing. The fact no one can knock on his door is absolutely amazing.”

The police were called to the unit at the time of the incident and are working with Airbnb to investigate the incident.

However the owners feel let down by the company and are concerned its slow response will have shattered any chance of them retrieving the print.

He continued: “It makes me really angry that someone can do something that blatant and walk away scot free. There’s such a thin veneer of trust that Airbnb is built on.

“It’s so flimsy if you can just disappear and change your details and no one can follow it up with you. In a situation like this, speed of response is going to make a real difference.”

A spokesman for Airbnb commented: “We have zero tolerance for this kind of behaviour and have removed this guest from our platform.

“We are assisting the police with their investigation and are providing the host with our support.”